Inkjet Printing Border Curing for Gloss Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transparent UV curable inks used in inkjet printing often result in uneven gloss and alignment issues due to viscosity changes and ink spreading, leading to blurred borders and reduced alignment accuracy on non-absorbent media like glass.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet printing method that uses energy-light curable inks, where a border portion is printed and immediately cured, followed by curing of the image area portion after it has flattened, utilizing energy-light irradiation units positioned coaxially with the inkjet head and in the conveyance direction to prevent ink spreading and achieve high-gloss images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the viscosity of the ink is reduced to flatten irregularities, then the surface gloss becomes more uniform, but the ink spreads and blurs the borders of the image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a border portion before the main image area and curing it in advance. This pre-cured border acts as a barrier that prevents ink spreading into the border region, allowing the main image area to be flattened by viscosity reduction without causing border blurring. The border is formed and cured before the image area printing, creating a containment structure that resolves the contradiction between surface uniformity and border sharpness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the printing process into distinct stages: border portion printing and curing, followed by image area printing and curing. This segmentation allows independent control of each region's curing timing and viscosity management. The border portion is cured first to establish fixed boundaries, while the image area can then be processed for surface flattening without affecting border integrity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If UV curable ink is used on non-absorbent printing medium, then the ink can be used on materials like glass, but the ink spreading continues until curing and alignment accuracy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action by forming and curing the border portion before printing the main image area. This pre-cured border creates a stable reference framework on non-absorbent media that prevents subsequent ink spreading from affecting alignment. The border serves as a fixed alignment reference that maintains accuracy even when the main image area ink spreads during the flattening process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by creating a cured border structure that actively prevents ink spreading into the border region. This pre-established barrier counteracts the natural tendency of UV curable ink to spread on non-absorbent surfaces, thereby protecting alignment accuracy while still allowing the use of versatile printing media like glass.
3Manufacturing precision
If the ink is cured immediately after printing, then the ink spreading is prevented, but the irregularities on the surface cannot be flattened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the printing and curing process into two distinct phases: first printing and curing the border portion, then printing and curing the image area portion. This segmentation allows the border to be cured immediately for sharpness, while the image area can be left uncured temporarily to allow surface flattening before final curing, thus resolving the contradiction between border sharpness and surface uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different curing strategies to different regions: the border portion is cured immediately after printing to maintain sharpness, while the image area portion is allowed to flatten first and then cured to achieve surface uniformity. This local differentiation of curing timing and quality resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region's processing according to its specific requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method ensures a clear, running-free image with high gloss by controlling ink spreading and flattening, maintaining alignment accuracy and preventing ink blurring, even on non-absorbent surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
the ink being an energy light curable ink... a border curing step of curing the printed border portion by irradiating an energy light... an image area curing step of curing the printed image area portion by the energy light
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a printing method whereby a glossy image free of running can be printed by an inkjet printer. An inkjet head (14) is caused to scan in the Y direction to print outline portions (32 and 33) on a medium (31). Next, immediately after the printing of the outline portions, a first UV irradiation means (15 or 16) disposed coaxially with the scanning axis of the inkjet head irradiates ink at the outline portions with UV light to harden the ink at the outline portions to prevent running. Next, the inkjet head prints a solid portion (34) between the outline portion (32) and the outline portion (33), and a second UV irradiation means (17) disposed forward in the scanning direction (X direction) of the medium (31) hardens the ink at the solid portion.